The Lost finale

Real life version:Smokey Monster did in fact get out of the island thanks to the Widmores of this world and those politicians bought by them

Back to the escapist show:

After having been one of the lost fans – in the sense that the show lost me for 4 years because it was illogical, I eventually became a Lost fan. I caught up with the reruns and decided that logic doesn’t apply to this show.

I cannot improve over this summary done before the finale

but having seen the finale, this is my comment

What happened, happened, and what didn’t (the AU) gave nice emotional closure.
No one died alone.

Now to the fictional reality:

There was one detail from what happened that made me very happy: Ben telling Hurley
“Those were Jacob’s rules, you can make your own. You do what you do best: help people”
It was satisfying on two levels – the island is no longer going to be a sadistic jungle in the name of “free will” and second: it finally acknowledged openly what a sick moron Jacob has been (remember, he ordered Ben to kill all DI, kidnap kids and harass the Losties ).
I think Ben’s redemption started when he told Hurley he is not bound by those rules.
As a reward, he was put in the position of setting right all the wrongs Jacob did.
It’s why I believe that he was out of the church because he was still the island protector at the time.
I never expected answers to questions – I learned since they dropped the numbers that this was not that kind of show. Plot-wise it was a mess – and it remained consistently so to the end.
But emotionally, it paid off – in the AU and reality – with the “new rules” (cue Bill Maher)
“There shall be no more idiotic rules set by someone who lived isolated their entire lives from other human beings”
“If someone accidentally discovers the cave of light, he/she will be gently transported back home, to their original lives”
“There will be no more questions, answers, polar bears or numbers”
There will be no more people on the island and a cork shall be provided to close BP’s mess”

could anyone stop thinking of the real Smokey out there?

The real Smokey has a real talent for avoiding getting photographed – you just saw all its images from Google

Here’s what I got: All the stuff that happened on the island actually did happen. (“Whatever happened, happened.”) Meanwhile, all the stuff that took place in the “sideways” universe this season was really in a Matrix-like purgatory after each individual character died, although they all died at different times and although they all resemble each other from the period they “knew” each other, because it would be too “Six Feet Under” if Kate came to the church as an old woman. And all this despite what Christian Shephard said about everything being “real.”

At the beginning of the world, there was the island, and there was a light. This light was the heart of all life. As such, it represented not only what we term as ‘life’, but also what we call ‘death’. It is both the Yin and the Yang, and the continuing balance between the 2 ensures the world’s survival.

Later, humans found this island. One human found the light. This human became its first Protector. This human, and his or her successors, built beliefs (the Rules) and institutions (the Temple, the Dharma hatches) around the supernatural properties of the island. These beliefs and institutions are neither right nor wrong, but the result of imperfect human experience….

But both (mythos and character) do matter! And I think the writers did see it like this. The case is not an ‘either-or.’

This argument can be captured in that dialogue between Desmond and Jack, as they were at the mouth of the cave of light, contemplating what was going to happen next. (See dialogue below; emphasis mine).

—
Desmond: Him destroying the island. You destroying him. It doesn’t matter. When you’re going to lower me in that light, I’m going to go somewhere else. A place where we could be with the ones we love, and never think about this damn island again. And you know the best part Jack?

Jack: What?

Desmond: You’re in this place. We sat together in Oceanic Flight 815. It never crashed. We spoke to each other. You seemed happy. You know, maybe I can find a way to bring you there too.

Jack: Desmond, I tried that once. There are no shortcuts. No do-overs. What happened, happened. Trust me, I know. All of this matters.

Speaking of lost it also seems to have been somewhat lost in the reporting that 11 people tragically lost their life in the explosion.

To those responsible, human life probably isn’t as important as calculation$, CYAs, finger pointing, covering up and outright lying.

I feel so sad for the numerous people – as well as for the wildlife and nature! – that have been/will be afflicted by this catastrophe – not least those who lost family members, friends, colleagues due to the explosion, and who won’t even be able to bury them as they have … vanished.

Well, since you brought it up…… I’ve been spending any spare moment I could today-which weren’t many- trying to understand the finale, specifically-
When did they all die?? I just can’t figure it out.
I prefer shows and books that come to a clear resolution at the end but obviously Lost was going to remain a mystery even to the end.
I’ll just have to let it go.
But if you have an answer to my question- please share it.

They didn’t all die at all. The Alternate Universe is a construct – a common reality where they all meet until they reach total actualization – so they can move on together. As a reward for saving the world. Time is not linear, people there died at different times – some past, some in the distant future (Hurley). They just converge there whenever their time comes.
Someone adeptly likened the AU with Harry Potter’s King Cross Station where Harry and Dumbledore meet in the last book.
Also, see the update for more answers

Thank you. Someone else who understands it. That was so clearly stated that my initial thought was “this is so unlike LOST” (you know to explain something). I really liked the finale, but again I was more about the characters than the island or its mysteries.

I wanted to see them prevail together. They went from this mismatched, misfit bunch to truely caring for and believing in each other. I liked that. I wanted that. I wanted the sideways world to be a REAL opportunity for them to be happy, and it kinda sucks that it wasn’t a real life opportunity.

I didn’t want Jack to die, but then again, I didn’t want Sayid to die either.

Again, I loved other shows way better (Angel, Farscape, BSG, Dead Like Me) for having both plot and character consistency. But when I came back to this show, I did so with the understanding that the plot logic is on a cartoon level, and I’ll concentrate on the stuff that works instead.
Once one accepts that, bickering about logic is like the fans of SpongeBob Squarepants complaining that Squidward taking a bath and letting the water drain afterward doesn’t make sense.(yes, I saw such a post and it was dead serious)
My emotional investment in this was not as heavy that I would cry at all (like I did at some of those other shows I mentioned). But I did cheer for the reunions, and Vincent laying down next to Jack did get to me.